This very solemn and somewhat regal Paris Fashion Week, some much-needed sass and fun was delivered by All-In. Benjamin Barron and Bror August Vestbø, the design duo behind this brand, have a habit of building their collections around imaginary characters. This season we met Allina. She might be the last real pop star (sorry, The Idol‘s Jocelyn, that’s not you), a slim, blonde diva who leans into an air-brushed kind of glamour. The collection features Allina’s merch, like a very mini tube dress featuring an image of the pop sensation. As Barron explained, the garments related a tale “about Allina’s fall from fame, so it starts off with her as the ideal form of herself, but then things start to unravel as she ages.” The sense of things coming apart was conveyed by a black sequin décolleté and backless minidress with diamanté trim that used negative space to dramatic effect. It looked as if it had been cut away from the top of the thigh to below the knee; a piece of fabric hanging from the back of the skirt connected the top half of the look to the bottom. Allina’s “attachment” issues were illustrated by the looks that had hangers attached, from which hung vintage slips that were more granny than glam, to chart the diva’s aging and fall from fame. Said Vestbø: “We used a lot of mixed materials that felt a bit pop star Las Vegas, like crystals and sparkles and short skirts with these kind of old woman references, like the tin cans or long nightgowns. There’s also a powder puff.” These assemblages also played with the concept of putting up a facade, which was also addressed in a more immediately relatable way in the sweater dress worn by Delfine Bafort. The hem had been extended and only the front was attached to the body of the sweater, which was worn on top of the body. It was suspended by ropes of pearls at the neck, leaving it backless, and the model’s hands slipped through the cuffs, creating a batwing effect. The result was a sort of paper-doll flatness that was very intriguing. Up until this point, All-In’s practice has had Surrealist touches and collage. Helping to ground All-In a bit as it prepares for growth, Lotta Volkova, who has modeled for the brand, worked with Barron and Vestbø on the creation and styling of this campy, bitter-sweet collection.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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